


Free People

by oubliance



Category: A Place of Greater Safety - Hilary Mantel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Academia, Gen, Leveson Inquiry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 10:35:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/734701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oubliance/pseuds/oubliance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the height of the Leveson Inquiry in 2012, Georges-Jacques Danton (MA (Oxon), MPhil, DPhil) and Maximilien Robespierre (BA, MA, DPhil) discuss their colleague’s recent political activities. </p><p>A play in one act.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Free People

**Author's Note:**

> From a long-standing project in development with some friends irl.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://www.tracemyip.org/)  
> 

( _the scene is a university building in the South of England_ )

 

D ( _knocks, opens the door before Robespierre can invite him in_ ): I need the minutes for the consultative committee, but I can’t find – have you got – 

R: Yes. That cabinet, in the third drawer. Filed under G.

D: Camille took mine.

R: _Camille_ took a copy of the minutes?

D: My copy. That would be my copy.

R: But why – 

D: Coffee provision. 

R: He’s faculty; he already gets coffee. 

D ( _finding the minutes, exactly where Robespierre said_ ): It’s an article of faith. 

R: Can’t you get it back? Last time you took mine –

D ( _defensively_ ): I said I was sorry.

R: You couldn’t have known he’d have that idea about the candles. But if he’s still got yours – 

D: He’s in London. 

R: Oh, God. Not again.

D: Yes. Aren’t you watching the live feed, then? 

R: I didn’t know there was one ( _his eyes stray to the computer screen_ ). 

D: Eighty per cent of it’s from Twitter; boring as fuck. But he’s been on a couple of times.

R ( _long-sufferingly_ ): Sometimes, you know, I think of writing to Leveson myself. And saying – you could make my life so much easier. If you wanted to. If you were feeling especially charitable. 

D: There was a good picture of him.

R: Really.

D: He looked – here, open Firefox, I’ll show you.

( _Danton summons the Guardian live feed and scrolls down_ )

D: See.

R: It’s snowing! He’ll freeze – 

D: The snow’s great, though. For the pictures.

R ( _with irritation_ ): He’ll catch something. It’s not you staying up with him, is it? Making the camomile tea.

D: The point he wants to make is – 

R: I _know_. But I collected his coat from Timpson’s last Monday, after the thing –

D: I didn’t push him in. I’ve told you. 

R: I’m not saying you did. But it was ten pounds, and he hasn’t even taken it with him.

D: It might be out of shot.

R: It might – 

D: It’s a good photo. Very Jeanne d’Arc. I think it’s the way he’s looking up into the lens – 

R: The feed’s refreshing ( _he scrolls to the top_ ).

D: Bloody hell! I’m surprised he can get that thing off the ground.

R: What does it say? I can’t see – 

D: ‘Best defence of free people.’

R: It’s not very catchy.

D: He’s not at his best with that sort of thing. That’s my _forte_ , memorable brevity. He needs – more compass.

R: Maybe you should have gone with him – 

D: In this weather? Catch me hauling myself up to London. And I’m teaching at three.

R: He didn’t ask me.

D: He knew you’d stop him.

R: What if he gets arrested?

D: They’re nice to him when he gets arrested. You know they are.

R: He always scrapes his hands – he wants a big sign, something unmissable for the cameras. He won’t – 

D: Oh, come on. It’s the least of our worries. How much time do you think he has for work? When the REF rolls round – 

R: No, that’s all right. He works at night.

D: I thought he did the blog at night. 

R: He does both. 

D ( _doggedly_ ): He always does the blog when he’s over at mine.

R: That’s because – 

D: What?

R: He never takes any work round to yours. He gets distracted.

D: No, he – 

R: Look, it’s refreshed again; a video.

D: Is it him?

R: ‘Camille speaks on behalf of the protesters.’ Yes. Why do you think they drop his surname?

D ( _reaches over Robespierre’s arm to click on the video_ ): Let’s see – ( _it begins to play_ )

R: He’s shivering.

D: In good voice, though; Fabre will be proud. 

R: What’s he doing – 

D: Oh my God.

R: Is that – 

D: It’s Tacitus. I can’t believe they kept recording. 

R: I need to call him.

D: He’s okay. 

R: He isn’t.

D: No, look, he’s translating it now. 

R: God – 

D: He’s made for this.

R: They just filmed it – filmed all of it. Four minutes of unbroken Latin.

D: He’ll be on the news again. 

R ( _gloomily_ ): It has a bad effect on him.

D: He loves it!

R: But it has a bad effect.

D: You can’t expect him to – 

R: I don’t mind him protesting. I admire him for it. 

D: It’s the arrests.

R: The people – 

D: The interviews.

R: It unsettles – he’s unsettled enough, surely?

D: I think it takes his mind off things.

R: No. No, it adds more. That’s – 

( _the phone on Robespierre’s desk trills_ )

R ( _picking it up_ ): Hello? 

D: Is it – 

R: We’ve got the live feed up. No, Georges and I; he came and told me. You should have said you were – 

D: Has he been arrested?

R: Have you been arrested? ( _To Danton_ ) He says he hasn’t. 

D: Tell him if he gets too cold, that’s the solution. Smack a cop.

R: Camille, listen; it’s a nice picture, it will be all over Twitter in an hour. Can’t you get a cab and – Oh, Camille. Who took it? Can someone lend you – 

D: Christ, he hasn’t been mugged? 

R ( _to Danton, covering the mouthpiece of the phone_ ): He says someone borrowed the money. ( _To Camille_ ) I don’t think you should stay. Can you – is there a Starbucks? Get Anne to buy you a coffee. No, I guessed she’d be there. Camille, she’s always there. Ask for some money and say I’ll pay her back tonight. Yes. No, it’s all right. I want to. 

D: What? What’s he saying?

R: Camille, please. It’s Gabriel’s paper tonight, at half-past six. Yes, I know – of course he’ll want you there. _Please_ go to Starbucks. Okay. Okay, that’s fine ( _he hangs up_ ). 

D: Anne’s there.

R: Naturally.

D: She eggs him on.

R: He doesn’t need much egging. I’m driving up to get him.

D: Max. You shouldn’t – 

R: He hasn’t got any money. If he stays all day he’s sure to lose his head and get arrested, and then I’ll have to drive up anyway. And call Jean-Nicolas. Not to mention mollifying Lafayette.

D: It’s no business of the department; he can do as he likes. 

R: You know that’s not true. 

D: Well, it’s free advertising. 

R: Yes. Indeed. A clarion call for the lawless – study here! First-class honours in civil disobedience; Master of Arts if you prove a competent evader of the riot police. 

D: I’ve never observed particular assiduity in Camille’s efforts to avoid the riot police. If any such efforts exist.

R ( _coolly_ ): It was a figure of speech.

D: But you agree with him, don’t you?

R: Not altogether – of course I want a free press! But I don’t think he sees, you know, the harm – 

D: He told me he met Grant in a bar. 

R: I don’t mean Grant. Not that sort of thing. Oh, he probably did, yes, but men like that – 

D: Camille liked him.

R: I’m talking about – 

D ( _lightly_ ): I know. Your point’s a moral one.

R: It’s not funny. He might get hurt.

D: Maybe. But he might here, too.

R ( _in a low voice_ ): All right. Yes. 

D ( _relenting_ ): Look, do you want me to go? 

R: No. Thank you. But no, I should go. And you’re teaching, you said – 

D: Third years. 

R: They’re all watching this, I expect. 

D: Of course. The fan club. Some of them are probably up there with him. 

R: Do you think I should call student services? If he’s taken them with him – I can’t just leave them.

D: None of them will be expecting him to take them home, Max. 

R ( _sharply_ ): There’s no need to be crass.

D: I meant – to conduct them back to the safe port of the university. You might give Anne a lift if you were feeling generous.

R: She’ll decline. She never accepts. 

( _Robespierre turns off the computer and takes his coat and scarf from a hook behind the door_ )

R: Could you please let Gabriel know? We should be back in time, but if we’re late – 

D ( _hanging about in the doorway_ ): I shouldn’t think he’ll enjoy giving his paper at all, without Camille to gaze on, down there in the audience.

R: It’s the Livy paper – I saw an earlier version, it’s very good. 

D: Wasn’t quite what I meant.

R ( _to himself_ ): Keys – coat – scarf – paracetamol. 

D: See you tonight, then. If you find him all right.

R ( _distractedly_ ): He’ll be there; he must be. Or Anne will be. Text me, please, if anything comes up on the feed? If he gets arrested?

D: Sure. Bye. 

( _Danton watches Robespierre walk away, then carries the minutes off to his own office, like the spoils of battle._ )

**Author's Note:**

> My writing will stay on hiatus over the period of Camille's arrest and trial; this is the final bagatelle before the mourning.


End file.
